In January 2020 Lucca Duke began a community service passage that incorporated her artistic abilities and interest in working with children. Lucca’s original passage goals were to paint a mural at Rogers Park Elementary with a map of the Iditarod trail that teachers could use to teach about the Iditarod, and to assist the art teacher in an after-school art program. Lucca was designing and painting her mural and coordinating with the art teacher for a spring after-school program when the pandemic hit and she lost all access to the school and her passage. Luckily, Lucca was eager to finish her passage this semester and created a beautiful mural for the Rogers Park Elementary community. Lucca had to work through many challenges from coordinating with different teachers at Rogers Park, finding a safe time to work at the school, and figuring out how to incorporate her artistic vision with the needs of the teachers, beyond the regular challenges of the pandemic. 

Lucca’s persistence paid off in the form of a beautiful mural and an appreciative staff at Rogers Park. Among many other compliments, Lucca received this praise from a Rogers Park teacher: “Just as wonderful is the fact that you, one of our own (ex-Rogers Park Elementary student), has given back to your neighborhood school/community! In addition to your excellent artistic talents, you have demonstrated responsibility, perseverance, and commitment to a real-life project.”

Thank you, Lucca, for representing Steller so well! Congratulations on a wonderful Passage.